Decorative footwear for an exposed foot

ABSTRACT

An article of decorative footwear for adorning onto an exposed foot. The decorative footwear is secured onto the foot of the wearer through a strap that passes between any two adjoining toes of the wearer and along a portion of the bottom of the foot of the wearer.

FIELD OF INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to footwear and more particularly to footwear to be worn on an exposed foot.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Decorative footwear is known to provide a decorative accessory for a foot of a wearer. Generally, this footwear is constructed with straps. A strap is often secured at one end about an ankle of the wearer and at another end to another strap or a ring which encircles a toe of the wearer. Decorative elements, such as beads, chains, artificial flowers, trinkets, jewelry and others, can be secured to the footwear to decorate the foot of the wearer.

[0003] Conventional models loop around the toe of the wearer and run the risk of causing discomfort while the footwear is being worn. In addition, convention models do not allow for decorative elements to be secured along the inside of the wearer's foot. Therefore, a need exists for securing decorative footwear which does not include the encircling of the toe of the wearer. Additionally, there is a need for more available locations other than the ankle, top of the foot, and adjacent to the toe for applying the decorative element to be carried by this footwear.

SUMMARY

[0004] An article of decorative footwear is provided for adorning onto an exposed foot a first strap and a second strap. The first strap encircles an ankle region of a wearer. The second strap comprises two ends where one end is secured to the first strap in such a way that allows the second strap to extend along a top portion of a foot of the wearer. The second strap then passes between any two adjoining toes of the wearer and along a portion of a bottom of the foot before the second end is secured to the first strap.

[0005] An article of decorative footwear is also provided for also adorning onto an exposed foot another combination of a first strap and a second strap, both straps consisting of two ends. The first strap comprises three portions where the first portion is positioned around a back of a foot of a wearer with one end of the first strap secured to the one end of the second strap. The first portion of the first strap is integral with a second portion which is adapted to extend over a top of the foot of the wearer passing between two adjoining toes. The second portion of the first strap is integral with a third portion which is adapted to extend from the two adjoining toes under the foot of the wearer and then along the inside of the foot with the second end secured to a second portion of a second strap. The second strap also comprises three portions where the first portion is positioned around the back of the foot of the wearer with one end of the second strap secured to one end of the first strap. The first portion of the second strap is integral with a second portion which is adapted to extend along the inside and under the foot of the wearer passing between two adjoining toes. The second portion of the second strap is integral with a third portion which is adapted to extend over a top portion of the foot of the wearer near a big toe of the wearer and along an inside of the foot of the wearer with the second end of the second strap securing to the second portion of the second strap.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006]FIG. 1a is a top perspective view of one embodiment of decorative footwear;

[0007]FIG. 1b is a bottom view perspective of the footwear shown in FIG. 1a;

[0008]FIG. 2a is a top view perspective of another embodiment of decorative footwear; and

[0009]FIG. 2b is a bottom view perspective of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2a.

DETAIL DESCRIPTION

[0010] The following detailed description is of example embodiments of the presently claimed invention with references to the accompanying drawings. Such description is intended to be illustrative and not limiting with respect to the scope of the present invention. Such embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to practice the subject invention, and it will be understood that other embodiments may be practiced with some variations without departing from the spirit or scope of the subject invention.

[0011] The decorative footwear shown and described here in is intended to be worn on an exposed foot. Wearing the footwear on an exposed foot can consist of several combinations. Examples include wearing the decorative footwear on a bare foot, on a foot with a stocking, or on a foot that is being also worn with an open shoe, such as a sandal or other something similar.

[0012] Referring to FIGS. 1a and 1 b, one example of decorative footwear 1 is shown where the decorative footwear 1 is secured to a foot 2. The decorative footwear 1 consists of a first strap 3 and a second strap 4. The first strap 3 encircles the ankle region of the wearer and can be in the form of a loop without any ends or a loop with two ends secured each another. The second strap 4 has two ends 5, 6 that can be secured to the first strap 3. Alternate configurations for securing the second strap 4 can include having one end of the second strap 4 secured to itself. The second strap 4 extends along both the top and bottom of the foot passing between adjacent toes of a wearer. Decorative elements 7 may be attached to the first strap 3. Decorative elements 8 can also be attached to the second strap 4. Although FIGS. 1a and 1 b show the second strap 4 extending between the big toe 9 and second toe 10, the second strap 4 may extend between any two adjacent toes.

[0013] Referring to FIGS. 2a and 2 b, another example of decorative footwear 11 is shown where the decorative footwear 11 is secured to a foot 12. The decorative footwear 11 has a first strap 13, a second strap 14 and a third strap 15. In the configuration shown, a first portion of a first strap 13 a is positioned around the outside back of the foot. A second portion of the first strap 13 b extends over the top of the foot and passes between a big toe 16 and a second toe 17 of a wearer. A third portion of the first strap 13 c extends from between the big toe 16 and the second toe 17 up along the inside of the foot of the wearer and secures to the second strap 14. The first strap 13 has two ends 18, 19. The first end of the first strap 18 can be secured to the second strap 14 around the back of the foot of the wearer. The second end of the first strap 19 can be secured to the second strap 14 along the inside of the foot of the wearer.

[0014] Continuing with FIGS. 2a and 2 b, the second strap 14 has a first portion 14 a positioned around the inside back of the foot. A second portion of the second strap 14 b extends along the inside of the foot extending under the foot 12. The second portion of the second strap 14 b then passes between the big toe 16 and the second toe 17 of the wearer. A third portion of the second strap 15 a extends from the big toe 16 and the second toe 17 going over big toe 16 and then along the inside of the foot 2. The third portion of the second strap 14 c is then secured to the second portion of the second strap 14 b. The second strap has two ends 20, 21. The first end of the second strap 20 can be secured to the first strap 13 around the back of the foot of the wearer. The second end of the second strap 21 can be secured to the second portion of the second strap 14 b or the third portion of the first strap 13 c. The first strap 13 and second strap 14 can also be integral units. A third strap 15 can be positioned to extends along the top of the foot 2 that is secured at both ends 22, 23 to the first strap 13 and the second strap 14. Given the strap configuration for this example, decorative elements 24 can be secured along the inside of the foot. Decorative elements 25 may also be secured to any of the three straps 13, 14, 15.

[0015] The straps 3, 4, 13, 14, 15 for the decorative footwear can be made of almost any type of material conducive for wear on the foot. A material have some flexibility and give is expected to provide the most comfortable wear. Such material can include elastomeric-types, other synthetics and natural materials such as leather.

[0016] The ways for securing the various straps 3, 4, 13, 14, 15 to the foot can vary. One approach is to the use an elastic-type material for the straps that has the ability to stretch and then tighten upon the foot of the wearer. Another approach is to bring the straps 3, 4, 13, 14, 15 together and join two or more of them together by tying them or by providing a fastener to hold the strap ends together in a way that allows the decorative footwear to secure around the wearer's foot.

[0017] The straps 3, 4, 13, 14, 15 of the decorative footwear are also secured to one another at several locations along the foot of the wearer. The securing of straps to one another can be accomplished by various means that include pinning, fastening, stitching, chemical adhesive, riveting, tying, the use of hoop joints, or any other means of securing straps that are recognized in the art. The straps 3, 4, 13, 14, 15 can also be constructed in such a way where they are an integral unit or where they are not separate units that are subsequently secured together by mechanical or chemical means.

[0018] Although in both FIGS. 1 and 2 the decorative footwear is secured between the big toe 9, 16 and second toe 10, 17 the footwear can also be secured by a strap extending between any of the other toes of the foot.

[0019] Various other modifications and alternations in the structure and method of operation of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and the spirit of the invention. Although the invention has been described in connection with specific preferred embodiments, it should be understood that the invention as claimed should not be unduly limited to such specific embodiments. It is intended that the following claims define the scope of the present invention and that structures and methods within the scope of these claims and their equivalents be covered thereby. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An article of decorative footwear for adorning onto an exposed foot, comprising: a first strap encircling an ankle region of a wearer; and a second strap having two ends wherein one end is secured to the first strap in such a way that allows the second strap to extend along a top portion of a foot of a wearer, the second strap passing between any two adjoining toes of the wearer and along a portion of a bottom of the foot of the wearer before another end is secured to the first strap.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first strap and the second strap are integral.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first strap is constructed of an elastomeric material.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second strap is constructed of an elastomeric material.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein decorative elements are secured to the first strap.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein decorative elements are secured to the second strap.
 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second strap is adapted to be positioned between a big toe and a second toe of the wearer.
 8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second strap has a side which is generally flat.
 9. An article of decorative footwear for adorning onto an exposed foot, comprising: a first strap having two ends wherein there are three portions to the first strap, a first portion adapted to be positioned around a back of a foot of a wearer where one end is secured to a second strap, the first portion of the first strap is integral with a second portion adapted to extend over a top of the foot of the wearer passing between two adjoining toes of the wearer integral with a third portion adapted to extend from the two adjoining toes of the wearer along the inside of the foot of the wearer with another end secured to a second portion of a second strap; and the second strap has two ends wherein there are three portions to the second strap, a first portion of the second strap adapted to be positioned around the back of the foot of the wearer where one end is secured to the first strap, the first portion of the second strap is integral with a second portion of the second strap adapted to extend along the inside and under the foot of the wearer passing between two adjoining toes of the wearer, the second portion of the second strap integral with a third portion of the second strap adapted to extend over a top portion of the foot of the wearer near a big toe of the wearer and along an inside of the foot of the wearer with another end of the second strap securing to the second portion of the second strap.
 10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the third portion of the second strap is secured to the third portion of the first strap.
 11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the second portion of the second strap is secured to the first portion of the first strap.
 12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the first and second straps are integral.
 13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the first strap is constructed of an elastomeric material.
 14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the second strap is constructed of an elastomeric material.
 15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein decorative elements are secured to the first strap.
 16. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein decorative elements are secured to the second strap.
 17. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein a third strap is secured to the straps positioned on both the inside and outside of the foot of the wearer that extends over the top of the foot of the wearer.
 18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the first, second and third straps are integral.
 19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the third strap is constructed of an elastomeric material.
 20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein decorative elements are secured to the third strap. 